BRICS anti-corruption meet in Hyderabad on August 4-5 to target asset recovery
Synopsis
India's final BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group meeting under its 2026 Presidency convenes in Hyderabad on 4–5 August, tackling fugitive tracing, cross-border asset recovery, and FinTech corruption risks — a signal that the bloc is moving from declarations to operational enforcement cooperation.
Key Takeaways
India hosts the second BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) meeting in Hyderabad on 4–5 August 2026 .
Key agenda items include tracing fugitive offenders , cross-border asset recovery , and corruption risks from FinTech and digital assets .
The event is organised by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under India's BRICS Presidency 2026 .
DoPT Secretary Rachna Shah will inaugurate the meeting.
A side event on 'Ethical Governance through Innovation and Tech-Driven Systems' is scheduled for 5 August .
This is the final ACWG meeting under India's presidency, expected to consolidate the year's anti-corruption cooperation agenda.
India will host the second meeting of the BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) and the second meeting of the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery in Hyderabad on 4–5 August, bringing together senior policymakers, legal experts, and enforcement officials from member nations to advance cross-border cooperation on corruption and financial crime.
What Is on the Agenda
Delegates will deliberate on three core priorities: strengthening informal cooperation for tracing fugitive offenders sought in corruption cases and supporting extradition proceedings; enhancing information-sharing through the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery; and exchanging experiences on corruption risks arising from FinTech, digital assets, and emerging digital financial instruments. The breadth of the agenda reflects how financial crime has evolved well beyond traditional cash-based corruption into decentralised and technology-enabled channels.
India's Role and Presidency Theme
The meeting is being organised by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under India's BRICS Presidency 2026, themed 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. It will be inaugurated by DoPT Secretary Rachna Shah. This is the final Anti-Corruption Working Group meeting under India's BRICS Presidency, making it a consolidation point for the year's work. The first such meeting was held virtually on 2–3 June.
Side Event on Tech-Driven Governance
A dedicated side event titled 'Ethical Governance through Innovation and Tech-Driven Systems' is scheduled for 5 August. It will provide a platform for BRICS members to share approaches on technology-enabled governance, covering digital public procurement, citizen engagement, transparency, accountability, and integrity in public administration. The inclusion of this session signals a growing recognition that anti-corruption frameworks must keep pace with rapid digitisation of government services.
Broader Significance
The Hyderabad meeting builds on outcomes from the June virtual session and is expected to lay the groundwork for sustained cooperation among BRICS members on asset recovery and institutional capacity-building well beyond India's presidency year. This comes amid heightened global focus on cross-border financial crime, with multilateral bodies including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) pressing member states to close enforcement gaps. For India, hosting this meeting reinforces its positioning as a proactive voice on governance reform within the BRICS framework.
Point of View
But the real measure will be whether member states — some of which have themselves been criticised for harbouring fugitive economic offenders — follow through with enforceable commitments after the Hyderabad communiqué is signed.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group meeting in Hyderabad about?
The meeting, scheduled for 4–5 August 2026 in Hyderabad, focuses on strengthening international cooperation for asset recovery, tracing fugitive offenders in corruption cases, and addressing corruption risks from FinTech and digital financial instruments. It is the second such meeting under India's BRICS Presidency 2026.
Who is organising the BRICS anti-corruption meeting in Hyderabad?
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is organising the event under India's BRICS Presidency 2026. DoPT Secretary Rachna Shah will inaugurate the meeting on 4 August.
What is the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery?
It is a specialised BRICS mechanism for enhancing information-sharing and operational cooperation among member states on recovering assets linked to corruption. Its second meeting is being held alongside the ACWG session in Hyderabad on 4–5 August 2026.
What will the side event on 5 August cover?
The side event, titled 'Ethical Governance through Innovation and Tech-Driven Systems', will allow BRICS members to exchange experiences on technology-enabled governance, including digital public procurement, citizen engagement, transparency, and integrity in public administration.
Why is this Hyderabad meeting significant for India?
It is the final Anti-Corruption Working Group meeting under India's BRICS Presidency 2026, making it a consolidation point for the year's agenda on asset recovery, cross-border corruption, and digital governance. It also reinforces India's positioning as a proactive voice on governance reform within the BRICS framework.
